AFCB reach the bottom three with 4-0 defeat at West Ham

Match Report

West Ham United 4 v 0 AFCB

1 January 2020

Attendance: 59,917

The London Stadium

The trap door is open large and wide for AFC Bournemouth now. They fall into the bottom three and find their way there on the back of a pitiful performance at West Ham. On 17 minutes Mark Noble fired West Ham ahead seeing his shot deflect off Lewis Cook. It was 2-0 when Haller smashed a volley into the net from Frederick's cross, and a clumsy challenge by Harry Wilson on Snodgrass gave the Hammers a penalty for 3-0 before half-time. Things didn't get better when Anderson beat Francis in a foot race to make it 4-0. Creswell was the recipient of the red card that never was, as his foul on Ryan Fraser was reduced by VAR to a yellow card. Bournemouth are in big trouble.

This was a relegation all right and Bournemouth named as strong a side as they could with Simon Francis coming into the right back position. Lerma and Lewis Cook came into the starting eleven along with Callum Wilson. Injured was Jack Stacey and Josh King, while Fraser, Billing and Stanislas were dropped to the bench. It was a game neither side dared lose as it would mean a place in the bottom three.

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Match Description
It was a patient start by both teams with AFCB just happy to keep possession. Rico put a good cross in but no Bournemouth player gets close to it. Mepham did well to cut a ball out.

Solanke wins a corner on three minutes. Bournemouth's first chance to get something on target. Lerma has made a mess of his pass.

Mepham and Haller in a race and Mepham may have hand balled it. Corner to West Ham but Ramsdale takes it. Lewis Cook loses control in the middle.

Still, Bournemouth are pushing on. Anderson comes forward looking for support but the Cherries get back in numbers. West Ham have a corner on eight minutes. West Ham are enjoying some possession, but have no end product.

Noble into the box and Fornals shoots over. Bournemouth are dropping back. Harry Wilson has taken a knock. Free kick to West Ham as Harry used his arm to block a cross. Gosling clears.

Creswell has an injury. on 15 minutes. Some poor passing from Bournemouth. Sondgrass gets in behind and there's a goal from Noble it's deflected in, 1-0 to West Ham. Lewis Cook clipped the ball and Bournemouth are a goal down on 17 minutes.

A push on Harry Wilson in the box and no penalty. VAR is checking. Nothing doing. Lerma has lost the ball in the middle. West Ham have a corner. The header goes wide by Ogbonna.

Steve Cook gifts the ball to the opposition. Gosling has lost it now. Snodgrass is fouled by Rico who is carded. Rico kicked out his legs. Just too many mistakes by Bournemouth at the moment. Snodgrass' free kick is out for a corner.

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A cross from Fredericks on the right and Haller has buried it in the bottom left corner 2-0 on 26 minutes. Great Volley for West Ham.

Lewis Cook drives through to Callum Wilson and his shot is saved, but the flag is up for offside. Francis on the overlap can't get his cross in.

Francis, he only hits Creswell with a cross. Harry Wilson can't get his cross in deep enough. Bournemouth can't clear from their own box. A corner to West Ham.

Noble is in behind and Harry Wilson has clipped his heels in the box - penalty! 34 minutes gone. This is game over if this goes in. Noble sends Ramsdale the wrong way 3-0.

Bournemouth are all over the place. It's getting embarrassing. Haller versus Mepham. Mepham gets back but Haller had a yard on him from a long ball - same old weakness for AFCB. No shots for Bournemouth yet and we have had 38 minutes.

Steve Cook has overrun it. Mepham covers. The confidence is shot for Bournemouth players.

Rico has a shot which is parried away. At least AFCB have had a shot. Just a minute to half-time. Corner to Bournemouth. Three added minutes.

3-0 down at half-time.

Second half
Fraser and Stanislas are coming on for Harry Wilson and Diego Rico. Ryan Fraser was ill overnight but is okay to come on as a sub. Stanislas is on the right.

Francis gets an early cross in. West Ham win a corner and Fraser comes away with it. The ball is coming back at Bournemouth just as soon as they try and play it up field. Gosling is the latest player to lose it.

Solanke comes forward. Fraser and Gosling join in. Steve Cook is beaten by Haller in the left back spot and Bournemouth are lucky to get away with a corner. Lewis Cook made a saving intervention. Ramsdale catches the corner.

Anderson tries to trick his way though the box but is just stopped in time. Solanke beats Noble but can't keep hold of it. Francis and Lerma loses it.

Haller beats Mepham, Snodgrass is held up. Anderson's cross is cleared. Lewis Cook fouls Snodgrass. Creswell hits the free kick miles over. The whole game has become very slack. The passing is pretty appalling as neither team are capable of keeping the ball for long.

Bournemouth manage to get the ball up to Solanke but he's faced with two West Ham players. Bournemouth have to defend another corner.

Anderson is in the clear but hits his shot against a Bournemouth player. A good chance for 4-0. Rice with a long ball out to the wing, Anderson is in this time against Francis and it's 4-0 on 67 minutes. VAR is checking for offside.

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The goal is given and Anderson is subbed for Lanzini. Gosling is subbed for Jack Simpson on 68 minutes. West Ham have a free kick. Mepham pulled a shirt.

Stanislas gives a free kick away. Callum Wilson on the right is stooped by Ogbonna. 17 minutes to go. A red card for Creswell, Fraser is down injured. Creswell went right through Fraser on 75 minutes. The decision has been overturned by VAR to a yellow. How has Creswell got away with that?

Great ball in the box by Bournemouth but West Ham defend well. Solanke is down in the box after bumping into Creswell. Stanislas to Fraser and the header from Solanke comes off the post and straight into Fabianski's hands! Ridculous, that should have gone in.

Stanislas is taken off the ball by Rice. West Ham break. Snodgrass is stopped. West Ham come again a cross from the Hammers and Lanzini saves it on the line as Steve Cook is out jumped.

Sondgrass is subbed on 83 minutes for Masuaku.  Creswell on the left pulls it back for Fornals but the shot is saved by Ramsdale. Lewis Cook is booked.

Bournemouth are losing the ball as soon as they get into the last third. Can't wait for the final whistle. Masuaku's shot is held by Ramsdale. Wilson to Fraser and it's a tame shot to the keeper.

Four minutes of added time and West ham waste a chance to make it five with Fornals shooting over. A ball over the top to Callum but he can't get it down.

Summary
Bournemouth look flatter than flat. They had nothing to offer in this game and their current form is deserved of the bottom three. Eddie Howe has an injury crisis and a relegation place. How Bournemouth are going to get out of this I don't know. The team had literally nothing in the tank.

AFCB

AFCB Subs: Boruc, Surman, Stanislas, Fraser, Simpson, Billing, Dobre

AFCB Ratings

Ramsdale 4, Francis 3, S Cook 3, Mepham 3, Rico 3, H Wilson 2, Lerma 3, Gosling 3,  L Cook 5, Solanke 3, C Wilson 3

Cherry Chimes MoM: Lewis Cook - he kept trying.

Ref Watch: Graham Scott 5/10 - Not totally convinced abut the penalty decision and I thought he was correct to send Creswell off for the manner of the challenge on Fraser. 

West Ham United: 1 Fabianski, 24 Fredericks, 21 Ogbonna, 4 Balbuena, 3 Cresswell, 41 Rice, 8 Anderson (Lanzini 68), 11 Snodgrass (Masuaku 83), 16 Noble, 18 Fornals,  22 Haller

West Ham Subs: 13 Jimenez, 5 Zabaleta, 10 Lanzini, 15 Sanchez, 23 Diop, 26 Masuaku, 27 Ajeti

Should Eddie try and extend Collison's loan?

Jack Collison has been ever present in AFCB's team in the last month and there are several good reasons why I can see Eddie Howe doing all he can to persuade Jack and West Ham to extend the loan. From interviews it is clear that Jack has enjoyed his time at the Goldsands stadium and he has found the club very much to his liking. To go back to West Ham is something that I am sure he wants in the fullness of time if he is going to get selected for the first team, but if he isn't going to get the games with Mark Noble and Kevin Nolan ahead of him he is probably better off playing at AFCB.

Jack Collison at the King Power stadium.

Has Jack done enough to merit Eddie Howe coming back in for him?

While Jack has not scored for the Cherries during his loan period he did help the team earn some valuable points against Millwall and Nottingham Forest. The strength of Bournemouth's squad was certainly aided by Jack being involved and without him the club is reliant on MacDonald and O'Kane remaining injury free, while Hughes continues to recover from injury. A few goals could have helped Jack's cause but he has played in a fairly defensive midfield role during his time at the Cherries.

Harry Arter has said that he enjoys playing with Collison which must also give Eddie Howe reason to see if he can get Jack until the end of January. When I look at other teams in the Championship many of them have such quality players on loan and I think it is important that AFCB continue to try and attract Premiership quality if they are to hold their own in the Championship.

Certainly it is harsh on O'Kane, Hughes and MacDonald, but they will be training and learning from how Collison plays and if it makes then better players and more eager when they do get their chance it will be better for AFCB in the long run. Eddie has made no secret of the fact that he likes Jack and regards him as a quality player and so I have a pretty good feeling about the possibility of hearing that Jack Collison will be a Bournemouth player for an extended period if talks are positive this week.